Piloting, Owning and Operating a Beech Bonanza A36 - www.gotoair.com

This is the story of owning and operating a 1993 Beech Bonanza A36 in the UK and some of its adventures and flights. I have owned this plane for over six years now.

Thursday, April 07, 2005

N reg no longer

I was alarmed recently to find that the Department for Transport were saying that they were reviewing the keeping of N Reg planes in the UK.

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As I have just been to New York to get my FAA PPL and was about to start my FAA Instrument Rating. I have decided to scrap that plan and put my Bonanza back on the G Reg as I dont fancy spending all this money gaining the licence and then the DfT banning N reg planes.

Before I made this decision I called the DfT and had a chat with the man who is actually reviewing N Reg operations in the UK. He told me that it was extremely likely to be banned in the not too distant future.

Here is some part of my post of the Pprune flying forum where this was discussed.

The low down and straight from the horses mouth.

I have just come off the phone to a Duncan Nichols who is the man at the DfT who is reponsible for conducting a review into "N" reg operations in the UK.

He was extremely helpful and pleasant and he was happy to talk about the process they are going through.

He told me that he has been tasked for about 2 years with doing this review but that it has not been a priority but that events earlier this year have now made it their and his priority. He said that they have held meetings and there was much disquiet about the UK GA fleet shifting to the "N" and it was felt it should be stopped.

I had a very good conversation where I explained the private pilots perspective but he pointed out that the problems with obtaining licences was nothing to do with the DfT and was the CAA's responsibility and they had to operate in line with other european states.

I have to say that despite me spending many thousands of pounds on putting my Bonanza on the "N" last year I am now convinced that this will become outlawed pretty soon. He said that they expect to have some preliminary findings in the next few months and he will make a report to the minister who makes a decision and it will be up to him but I can tell you from the conversation that it sounds a fait acompli.

He also said "when" they make the decision they will give a time period for people to convert back. I have decided that I will have to put the FAA IR on hold for now and I will convert my Bonanza back at its annual in July unless they have said otherwise.

Link to the Pprune forum

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Converting back is going to be no easy task and not without some serious spending.